A boy stood palely on the pavement cuddling his favourite teddy bear. A group of kind passers-by to ask for his whereabouts surrounded him. The lost boy did not utter any cry or whine but stared at them with bulging eyes. ‘Nicholas!’ Hastily, the boy turned to the voice and ran towards a woman with worries etched on her face. All his fear has succumbed to tears. I stood from afar smiling. The inseparable bond between a child and his parents enable the child to express his true self in front of them. In our eyes, our parents are everything. We treat them like guardian angel, expecting them to be flawless and always in top-notch mood, but they are vulnerable too. Being a parent is the hardest job of all, the sacrifices and changes they made are usually not to be asked for any return. I looked up at the dense clouds and wondered whether the sky was crying for the love a parent gives.
Suddenly, I remembered I have a queer dream. I dreamt that I was chasing after a nasty kid who just grabbed my possession. ‘Hey, return it!’ I wailed. Ignoring me, he ran faster than ever. The route I was running was unfamiliar. It was a place I never visit, a foreign region. I reached his house. Panting, I opened the brass gate and boldly walked in. ‘Excuse me, that boy…’ An old but fit woman looked at me. She looked exactly like my mother, just slightly older than now. She winked, kneeled down and spoke to the child, ‘Return what you have to darling, it is bad to steal.’ The boy obliged for a few seconds before returning it to me. I stroked his hair, caressed his soft tender hand and whispered, ‘I shall remember this as long as I live.’ The boy’s golden brown eyeball gleamed with confusion. Children are blessed by God as a miracle and bring hopes to mankind, but child abuse and incest keep occurring. Dear parents, if you choose to have a child, why do you treat them like a sandbag? Shouldn’t you let them explore the beauty of life? I am intrigued why they want to contaminate innocents’ mind, making them feel pessimistic? If you are not ready, do not bother to have one but if you have, raise them and love them. Many in this world fail to do so, that’s why such tragic cases keep blooming in this society. Perhaps, this rain was falling for the victims and telling them that God is always by their side crying for their pain.
I turned my vision to the corner of the road. I remembered vividly my best pal, Derrick, used to live there. That day, 20th August 2007, he texted me a short message saying, ‘This world is meaningless, no matter how hard you strive for a sunny day, winter often interjects.’ I sensed something fishy about it. Dashing out of the house, I ran past blocks of building before entering right at a corner. His house was just around the corner. I rang the doorbell but no reply. Panicked, I slammed open the door and peered in. He was there, holding a knife, looking horrorstruck. I noticed the pictures of him and his darling were burning to ashes. Before he could do anything, I knocked the blade off his hand, gripped his shoulder tight and shouted, ‘WHY DO YOU WANT TO COMMIT SUICIDE BECAUSE OF HER?’ He stared blankly at me soaking in perspiration. ‘To make her happy, do not choose death; to love her, live happier than before, don’t let go of the person you care no matter what happen…because…’ My eyes began to feel watery, ‘…because some day you will meet someone…someone who cares about you, someone who wants you by their side always…so please…don’t die.’ He weakly sat down and covered his face with his hands, crying hard while I consoled him. Friends are our rainbow whenever we are feeling down or lonely. No doubt, friends might not play a vital role throughout our life, they are the one who will always be there for us when we need comfort. Probably the sky was crying for loners who have to weep in their bed alone every night.
I heaved a deep sigh and ambled to the attic. There has a collection of ancient books arranged neatly in a shelf. I lighted a candle and searched for some books to pass time. I lifted my candle. On the topmost shelf, there was a book. Curiously, I grabbed the book and read the title, Mary and Peter. It was about a witch who cursed a loving couple out of jealousy to halt them from seeing one another. Peter, a determined man, finally broke the curse and the both of them lived happily ever after in a small cottage. The candle light flickered. This is the classic version of a book. I searched the shelf as I knew it was in there for my grandmother once told me before. There was it, the real version of ‘Mary and Peter’, The Undying Amethyst. The story was about three best friends Marcus, James and Susan who hung out together no matter where they went. When they grew mature, Marcus and Susan fell for each other but James loved Susan. When he knew about their affair, he went berserk and murdered Susan out of rage. When Marcus found out about her death, he was devastated. He used the necklace Susan gave him, an amethyst necklace, and enchanted all his soul into it in order to reincarnate Susan. Eventually she revived when she wore that necklace. The villagers lied to her that Marcus had left the town until one day, she saw Marcus tombstone. Blaming herself, she kept the necklace in a treasure box and buried it underground. Without the necklace, she passed away and rejoined with Marcus in paradise. The world is unfair. Many loves are ended due to social status, war, death or by third party. Maybe this rain was falling for those hurt lovers who foolishly believed that true love exist but left with disappointment.
The rain was getting heavier. It was raining cats and dogs. I glanced at the street through the small window in the attic. Everyone has gone for shelter. I saw someone ran past. She was my friend, Sarah. Without hesitation, I ran out of the house and chased after her. ‘Sarah!’ I exclaimed. She ignored me and kept running. ‘Sarah!’ I yelled again. Her pace began to slow down but did not stop. Then she slipped. Fortunately, I was quick enough to catch hold of her and cushion her fall. When she saw me, she gasped, ‘Samuel…’
‘I am Wayne.’ Immediately tears rolled down her cheek with the rainwater splattered on her face. ‘I want to keep loving him. I don’t mind him loving others…I can wait but…but…I couldn’t stand not seeing him…I…I definitely want to stay in love with him…’ She laid in my chest sobbing her heart out. ‘I saw him…smiling…turning his head and walked away…I called for him but he never turned his head back… He kept walking… kept walking… I chased him but he was gone… he has walked out of my life.’ I closed my eyes wanly listening to the pouring rain. Sarah, finally you could feel my pain, the pain I had experienced it before you did. That time, you left me without looking back albeit I waited for you in anticipation. You moved on with a new partner faster than I expected. That pain was unbearable. I never told you how hurt it was to see you intimated with him while I was like a fool standing alone looking sour, I did not have to, you would not understand it. I love you, because I love you, I let you go and tried to forget you. I knew no matter how much I did, our misunderstanding shall not win your heart back anymore.
I lost track of time. I have no idea how long Sarah cried. We were wet and cold. I found the answer of this rain. Slowly, I realized my surrounding has no more rain. I looked up and saw her holding an umbrella. She wore an amethyst necklace. ‘Rachel… she needs comfort.’
‘I understand…’
‘How do you know I am here?’
‘The necklace flashed some images of you…’
‘You always wear it?’
‘Always…for the rest of my life.’
‘Your house is so far from here, how could you reach here that fast?’ I inquired.
She kneeled down and whispered, ‘Because I want to see you…’ I was touched. That’s what I wanted to hear after all this commotion. You understood me most Rachel. My tears began to drop. Rachel, you took me out from a stormy day, you were so thoughtful and kind, I have no reasons not to love you. You aided me out of Sarah’s life. Sometimes you may be naggy but I knew that you cared for me.
‘I miss you,’ I cried while supporting Sarah.
‘Me too,’ she replied.
‘I want to see you after this rain but I don’t have to anymore.’
‘Why?’
‘Because…’I paused for a moment and smiled, my tears lingered on my cheek.
‘I have found you…’
Mitsumeru Saki Ni Wa - D.N.Angel
